Tag Archives: NM

Back to Texas

Posted on by kathousekelli70

We lit out for Texas this morning after a hearty Cracker Barrel breakfast. Got to say the bacon at this one was better than yesterday’s. 

We headed toward Pecos, Odessa, Midland via the beautiful Franklin Mountains State Park and Castner Range. It’s a steep incline/decline at 5244ft (still only half the height of some of the mountains we’ve been on in Colorado and only just a couple hundred feet shorter than our highest mountain in Australia) but the roads are perfect.

Lots of inland travel and into Texas, traveling the 180 through Carlsbad Caverns National Park, back up to 5700ft through Guadalupe Mountains National Park and passed the Butterfield Trail Marker.

The Butterfield Overland Trail (or Oxbow Route) traversed through Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. It was pre Civil War mail and passenger stagecoach route operating between 1858 and 1861.

What a hell of a trip during that time over this sort of terrain in all sorts of weather!

Cross country slight trip into New Mexico and back into the Texas panhandle we are back in oil and gas land through Orla – a very productive area.

On to Pecos where we stopped again and caught the damaged historic railroad  depot, Judge Roy Bean’s, Jersey Lily and the gravesite of ‘gentleman gunfighter’ Clay Allison.

Keep heading East through oil fields of Barstow and on into Odessa.

Quick stop at the Indian store for Jack – picked up a poker chip – checked out the bikes.

From here we went to Midland again and this time got to visit the Bush Family Home. A State Historic site in Midland, Texas.

The original home was built in 1939 for Mildred Etheridge and features the original knotty pine walls and floors.

After a few moves around in 1948-1950 the Bush’s settled in Midland during his oil times prior to politics.

The Bush’s, George H. W and Barbara were associated with cancer research during and after their daughter Robin’s death due to Leukemia, with baseball which George W. had a love for also.

George W. had a love for baseball and Roy Rogers. He eventually had a part ownership in the Texas Rangers baseball team.

The house is still going under preservation and getting it back to period correct interior. There were so many fun ‘ancient’ things like the refrigerator, bakelite phone, uranium glass and more.

Thanks Chase for his exceptional guided tour!

A stay in Midland again before moving to Novice tomorrow.

Night!

Kat x

Scottsdale, AZ – Las Cruces, NM

Posted on by kathousekelli70

As we left Scottsdale this morning, we headed South and along the 60 towards Globe – funny enough Evergreen’s family came from Globe – Passed through Superstition Springs for a late breakfast then on through Tonto National Forest continuing our route.

Last photo with Buster, thanks for having us Big Iron and Evergreen!

Fun fact: did you know it takes Saguaro cactus 10 years to grow one arm? I stand corrected!! Each Saguaro cactus takes 75-100 years BEFORE it grows a side arm IF they grown any, and before I even read this, on the road I was marveling at some of them with how many arms they had! Let alone the fact that I was then creating caricatures in my head of some of them like you would cloud watching. Their flowers are the state wildflower of Arizona.

Going by my research, some of these are potentially 150 years old and then some!

Through Superior founded 1882, was originally a Silver mining town and today still runs a massive production of Copper mining. Ray Mine still operating today and a massive operation.

Like nearby Globe, Ray and Clifton, Superior was once a huge part of an Apache reservation.

We continued up in elevation from 1600ft up to 4983 feet before dropping back down.

We came into Kearny founded in 1958, named after General Stephen Watts Kearny who passed through the area in 1846 while leading 100 dragoons to California.

Hayden founded 1909 is almost a ghost town now but once home to the tallest smelter chimney in Arizona.

The landscape is changing to scrub and rocky outcrops as we drop back down again into Globe.

Globe (Western Apache: Bésh Baa Gowąh “place of metal”) was founded in 1875 as a mining camp. Silver was the draw card and the city of Globe was incorporated in 1876 with Globe printing its first newspaper May 2, 1878.

Its history remained laced with outlaws, murders, stagecoach robberies and more! Ike Clanton and Phineas Clanton arrived here just after the infamous gunfight at the OK Corral in Tombstone.

So much more history here and of course Evergreen has a brilliant photo in the guest room of distinguished looking gentleman from that era who are her family.

From here it was on weaving through snow capped mountains in the distance and headed through Geronimo and through to Fort Thomas established 1876. It was also previously Camp Goodwin part of the Apache Wars and Clantonville.

We passed the Pinaleno Mountains with the most prominent Mount Graham still with snow caps on it.

Things you don’t expect to see as you go through Safford into Solomon – a cowboy, yes cowboy, hat and all, riding an e-scooter on the side of the road!

Duncan founded 1883, originally a railroad way station called Purdy, was later renamed for Duncan Smith, a director of the Arizona Copper Company.

Uh oh! A stop with the local Sheriff 😬 just less than 14 miles into New Mexico. Jack gets a warning thankfully.

Into Lordsburg at a more regulated pace and back onto I10 headed for Las Cruces, NM.

We make it back to Las Cruces where we started some of our travels. Dinner at Applebees and right next to Cracker Barrel for Breaky in the morning.

Walmart just proved uneventful for what I was looking for so rest and relaxation now. Night!

Kat x

The Law West of The Pecos

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Well actually we are headed NW, passing Villanueva, El Pueblo, San Miguel, crossing the Pecos River a couple of times.

The landscape is once again changing, with hidden ranch’s amongst a very green landscape and red rock cliffs.

With Clancy in tow, we are headed for Manitou Springs. Others have headed for Deadwood, the Turquoise Trail or back to Australia today.

Our first stop would take us into Las Vegas, NM where a brief trip into the Rough Riders Antiques store saw Clancy buy a gorgeous silver barrette and my score was a nickel silver Mexican hat pin that simply was just too unique to pass up.

  • Harvey House items!
    I resisted this year.
  • Clancy’s new hair barrette. Handcrafted silver.
  • The ceiling inside the antique store.
  • The mexican hat pin that just had to come home with me.

We found that the Castenada Hotel is now open with 7 rooms and the bar for afternoon drinks. The ceiling, floors, windows are still original and yet there is still a lot of work to be done in getting the rest of the Hotel open. I look forward to a future visit to see her in all her glory!

Oh, and my fascination with the Castenada? She was the first Fred Harvey track-side hotel built in East Las Vegas that fed and watered passengers who journeyed the Santa Fe railway routes. When it opened in 1899 Teddy Roosevelt held a reunion of his Rough Riders here. The Rough Riders Museum just up the street is closed Monday’s but we did get to visit it last year.

As per the brochure (and having read the Harvey Girls book) Fred Harvey civilised the west. He developed and ran all the hotels and restaurants of the Santa Fe Railway, eventually controlling a hospitality empire that spanned the continent. He introduced linen, silverware, China, crystal and impeccable service to railroad travel.

We made a stop at Charlie’s Spic n Span Bakery – not for cream puff’s! – but a donut or key lime selection and coffee. We got a view of the mural whilst there. The mural is a documentary of South West and American History. Spanning the decades of time, it was created by some 300 students and additional community members.

We took a short trip past gorgeous Victorian houses and out to Montezuma Castle. Now and International school for students you can not visit the castle as its student use only now. It is truly magnificent in its size and presence set atop the hill in a secluded section of Montezuma.

We left New Mexico over the Raton Pass at a mere 7834ft and into Colorado. We are now in Manitou Springs.

As evening sets on this tiny town of Victorian charm, pubs, and shops, we enjoyed a couple of margarita’s and some dinner before retiring for an early night.

  • Clancy and I enjoying a margarita together, having a sip on behalf of Ruby and Pearl! Lol!

Some sight seeing tomorrow before getting into Cheyenne for the duration of the week!

Kat xo

End of Trail – Part 3

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Friday came and went and Saturday rolled around to the final 4 stages.

This was it. Make or break time and see how things work out.

Another hot and dusty day drew to a close with Jack and I racing then to get changed into our ‘Thomas Durant’ and ‘Eva Toole’ costumes (from Hell On Wheels) and head over to the costume contest.

Costume contest done, photos taken, we headed into the big tent for the banquet. The beer was flowing and everyone had a great time.

Costume contestants did a promenade after dinner and then the winners were announced.

I won Parlor House Madam with ‘Eva Toole’.

Jack placed 3rd in B-Western/Silver Screen Mens.

  • Best Dressed Mens
    B-Western/Silver Screen

In B-Western/Silver Screen Ladies, Lil Magill won 1st place with the ‘Buffalo Gal’ dress I had made.

  • Best Dressed Ladies
    B-Western/Silver Screen

For the Best Dressed Couples, Annie D Vine and Hawkshaw Fred won 1st place with Annie wearing the silver and bronze gown I had made last year. More on that later. Comin’ In Hot and Alamo Andy won 2nd place with their B-Western outfit I had just finished before getting here.

Best Dressed Couples

The Shootout competitors were then announced. Top 8 Ladies and Mens for Wild Bunch and the Top 16 Cowboys and Cowgirls. I had made it in! Happy Days!

  • Top 16 Cowboys and Cowgirls
  • Top 8 Mens and Ladies
    Wild Bunch

Sunday morning the shootout gets under way with a couple of ladies not shooting, as an alternate, Pearl Starr also from Australia, had her first chance at a World Championship shootout.

  • Jack & Kat
  • Pearl Starr & Charlie Wagon
  • Kat & Pearl
  • Lol! Sassy Dancer getting in on Jack & Charlie’s pic!

Congratulations to Texas Tiger, Ladies Wild Bunch and Last Chance Morales, Mens Wild Bunch shootout winners and for Cowboys, Cowboy Carty and Cowgirls, Bonnie Macfarlane.

Awards got underway just after. Posse 33 won the posse shoot with 5.04sec, so close! Our posse shot it in a 5.17sec.

Clean shooters? You heard me say it was a different kind of match and this was about to prove it. Only 29 shooters from a total of 565 shooters were clean. Sam Balin, Alvira Sullivan Earp and myself, all from Australia were clean and received the elusive white buffalo pin. 111 of those shooters this year were also first time participants to End of Trail.

The Ladies of Cowboy Action Shooters (LOCAS) announced its Cowgirl of Honor awards and this year it went to 3rd place Little Red Sure Shot, 2nd place Shotglass and 1st place Shamrock Sadie. Well done ladies!

All in all the Aussies faired well again!! 25 of us went this year.

Spirit of The Game – Bat Masterson, K C Woody, Doc Carnegie

Lady Gunfighter 4th place – Sister Sarah Carnegie

Senior Gunfighter (oops didn’t write down what place) – K C Woody

Duelist 7th place – J P Remington

Elder Statesman Duelist 9th place – Virgil Earp

Silver Senior Duelist 4th place – Sam Balin

Frontier Cartridge 8th place – Henry Moon

Ladies Silver Senior 2nd place – Alvira Sullivan Earp

Ladies 49er’s 9th place – Mystic Meg

Ladies 49er’s 8th place – Clancy

Wrangler 8th place – Bat Masterson

Cowboy 10th place – Deadwood Gunslinger

Lady Wrangler 2nd place – Pearl Starr

Elderstatesman 9th place – Jackaroo

Lady Wrangler 1st place – Kathouse Kelli

  • Elder Statesman
  • Lady Wrangler
  • Australia!
  • Pearl Starr 2nd, Kathouse Kelli 1st
    Lady Wranglers

Yay!! Another successful World Championships, a tougher match than some previous, just had to aim a little more. Dang kids ripped out some awesome times still and a huge congratulations to this years 2019 Overall World Champions – Bonnie Macfarlane and Matt Black.

Overall Men’s – Matt Black
Overall Ladies – Bonnie Macfarlane

Thanks SASS for another whole heap of fun!

Kat xo

End of Trail – Part 1

Posted on by kathousekelli70

We are 3 days in to being here at End of Trail, the cowboy action World Championships!

Saturday afternoon after domestic duties we headed to the range to register and pick up our shooter packs. We found Charlie Wagon and Pearl Starr and of course a bit of nonsense ensued.

Sunday Jack, myself, Pearl Starr and Clancy went to Albuquerque to shoot a club match with the Rio Grande Renegades. A good little side match as an extra warm up to the start of a very busy week.

We had a few little hiccups (and a not so good, somewhat broke pistol) but all in all a great day, thanks Rio Grande for having us!!

We had dinner with Cooncan and Bertie Winchester, our friends from Kansas, at Pizza Barn along with a good portion of the cowboy community!

Monday and we are set to begin with warm ups, shopping at vendors, catching up with heaps of cowboys and cowgirls. We did 4 warm up stages and then called it a day to go drop my pistol off for fixing.

Tuesday and its all smiles! Now there are more cowboys arrived and everyone is having a blast looking for matching numbers. In our packs this year you were given a Posse pin in addition to your shooters badge. The Posse pin has a number on the back and this is where it gets interesting. So you go and talk to new people, you try to see if they have the same number as you, when you find 1-9 other cowboys or cowgirls with the same number you go and put your name in a draw to win a custom knife and sheath from Action Shooting Network.

The square timber posse badge has your number on the back to go seek out the other 8.

More warm up stages! A little more shopping! Wild Bunch Awards!

A shout out to the SASS team for putting together a polished ceremony again. Whilst Jack and I didn’t shoot Wild Bunch this year we still went to support Charlie Wagon just in case he should buckle. We are happy to report however that our Oklahoman, Elwood James won a few side match awards and finished 7th in Mens Modern!! Way to go EJ!! AND outstanding costuming for awards my friend!

  • Stage and ceremonial flags.
  • A few less at the bar now!
  • Our EoT bar tenders! The best!
  • The Judge & Justice Lily Kate
  • Misty Moonshine & Wild Shot presenting

Congratulations also to Mens Modern winner – Last Chance Morales, Mens Modern Senior winner – Evil Roy, Ladies Modern winner – Idaho Sixgun Sam, Ladies Modern Senior winner – Second Fiddle Sue, Mens Traditional winner – ?? new guy, his name escapes me, Mens Traditional Senior – ??whoops, did it again, and Ladies Traditional winner – Lady Jane!

Overall winners for Wild Bunch were, Last Chance Morales and Idaho Six Gun Sam.

2019 Wild Bunch Mens Overall – Last Chance Morales
and
2019 Wild Bunch Ladies Overall – Idaho Sixgun Sam

Congratulations to all participants!!!

Tomorrow is another fun packed day. Til then, these weary feet must make there way to bed.

Kat xo

Durango – Moriarty

Posted on by kathousekelli70

We left Colorado yesterday morning to the haunting sounds of a steam train whistle.

Heading along highways, through small towns and crossing the Animas River more than once, the landscape has again changed to a somewhat green desert. A lot greener than we have seen in the past.

It seemed fitting when passing through Bernalillo to snap this shot of the street sign!

For now we are in New Mexico and it’s time to get set for the World Championships!

Gather your posse and see you on the range!

Kat xo

Excitement Looming

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Yes!  We are almost at the end of this stay on the beautiful Mermaid Beach and getting set to head to Millmerran for Chisholm Trail and the Nationals.

Looking forward to catching up with some cowboys and cowgirls, meeting many new ones we haven’t come across also.

If you’ve been shooting this weekend or getting set to, we hope you have a sensational time.  I know there is plenty on what with OK State Champs, NM State Champs, Hellfire and many other great shoots overseas.  Dalby is shooting tomorrow as a last practice before Chisholm and then it’s all on, come Monday.

We had a good practice last weekend with The Gamblers and are ready to go. Will keep everyone posted with posts, pic’s and more this coming week and beyond.

Soon we will head out for the next exciting adventure too!

Stay tuned.

Kat xo

 

Capulin Volcano

Posted on by kathousekelli70

On our meanderings up through New Mexico from Moriarty we headed for Raton and a side visit to Capulin (pronounced Car-poo-leen).

Jack had read about Capulin Volcano National Monument and had decided we would make a stop.

This now inactive volcano at its peak is 8182ft above sea level and is covered in rich volcanic soil and forested habitat.

An aerial view of Capulin from Wikipaedia.

Part of the National Parks scheme it is $15 per vehicle to go to the top, where you can take a couple of different hiking trails. One goes around the top rim and one shorter one down into the cinder cone volcanic crater itself. Be prepared for a steep climb back out though on a well paved path.

At the top of the Volcano you can see to parts of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and Kansas.

It was President Woodrow Wilson, in 1916 who would have Capulin Volcano set as a National Monument.

From here we took a right out of the park gates and headed for Folsom, all we found was a tiny little town, didn’t go into the museum and the historic hotel was closed.

Back on the road our next stop would be Trinidad, Colorado and on to Limon for the night.

Tuesday we headed NW to Cheyenne and on to Wild Horse John and Saginaw Sue’s – Wild Horse Haven as I like to call it.

Kat xo

End of Trail 2018

Posted on by kathousekelli70

It's that time of year where cowboys and cowgirls come together for one of the biggest weeks of shooting.

 

The World Championship of cowboy action shooting is the agenda at Founders Ranch, New Mexico. Five countries – Australia, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand and United States of America competed for the top honor's in both Wild Bunch and Cowboy matches.

This year, as previously reported, we decided to forego Wild Bunch and headed to Cortez prior to this week.

Monday: picked up packs, caught up with friends and readied ourselves for the week ahead. A pleasant surprise was my picture on The Independent for Cowboy Days in Edgewood/Moriarty. Thanks to Cat Ballou the photo BT Blade took of me during Wild Bunch last year was used for their front cover!

 

Tuesday: we did 6 stages of warm up and attempted to get acclimatised to the altitude whilst running uphill or across some of the stages.

Tuesday evening we had a great trip up Sandia Tramway with dinner beforehand at Sandiago's grill with the Range Riders (from Australia) – Pearl Starr, Charlie Wagon, Judge Ruger, Tumbleweed Wagon, Sarah, Stan Wellback and Dallas Roarke.

 

Wednesday: Doily Gang Clinic was on, instructing with Honey B Quick, Shamrock Sadie, Lefty Jo, Two Sons. We had 18 ladies attend the transitions clinic, some returning for the 2nd or 3rd time and others their very first.

Plainsman, shotgun clinics and side matches were on. Cowboy swap meet, vendors are open and the crowds are starting to increase.

The evening kicked off with the opening ceremonies, Tumbleweed Wagon carried the flag for Australia.

 

The Wooly Awards were announced with Texas Jack Daniels receiving one as 2017 Governor of the year and The Territorial Marshal's with match directors Missouri Mae and Flat Top Okie took 2017 Match of the Year for Red Dirt Rampage.

 

The class of 2018 Regulators were announced! Congratulations to each and every one!

 

Thursday: first day of main match and we had the late wave start. It's hot, dusty but ready for action! Stages 1-4.

 

Friday: second day of main match, mid wave, stages 5-8, shopping with vendors and we're still having fun!

 

Saturday: it's the final 4! With the cooler very early start we were soon done and all up to the total scores to see where we all finished. We had a great posse – Posse 25 with posse marshal Chickamauga Charlie, Polly Penny Bright, Coffee, Shotgun Boogie, Hell Hound, Rephil, TinTin, Slow Hand Don, Dutch Bear, Justice Ann, Coal Train, Buck Garrett, Chantilly Shooter, Hot Rock, Hud, Hawkeye Kid, Pearl Starr, Charlie Wagon, Jack and myself.

With the posse shoot done, it was lunch, ice cream and head back to get ready for the banquet.

 

I attended the costume contest and was 2nd place in the new Steampunk category. Congratulations to EZGZ in 1st place. Congratulations to all other category winners and placings! There were some fabulous costumes!

 

The beer flowed, the music played and some showed off their dance skills.

The top 8 Wild Bunch men's and ladies were announced, as was the top 16 cowboys and cowgirls. Clancy and I were the only two Australians to make the shootout this year for cowboy match and RC Shot for the Wild Bunch shootout as an alternate.

 

Sunday: the shootout gets under way. Congratulations to Idaho Sixgun Sam and Last Chance Morales for winning not only the shootout but overall top lady and man for 2018 Wild Bunch.

The cowboy shootout is run and final finish was Holy Terror for the ladies and C.S. Brady for the men.

Jack finished 10th in his category with 1st place going to Long Swede, 2nd Hell's Comin, 3rd Silver City Rebel, 4th Angry Tom, 5th Lucky Thirteen, 6th Texas Mean Gene, 7th Fast Eddie, 8th Kansan and 9th El Lazo. Congratulations Silver Senior's on your placings!

 

In Lady Wrangler category, 10th Wild Cattle Kate, 9th Ms. Laurie Darlin, 8th Ex Sighted, 7th Young Lady, 6th Ruby Jewel, 5th Idaho Sixgun Sam, 4th Legally Loaded, 3rd Clancy, 2nd Echo Meadows who cheekily offered to hold my World Championship trophy again. Lol! Congratulations ladies!

 

Out of 22 Aussie's 14 placed, 2 received Spirit of the Game awards, 2 placed in costume and if I remember correctly, 6 or 7 got clean matches.

Overall winners this year were Matt Black and Holy Terror. Congratulations to two fine young shooters!

 

For everyone who attended End of Trail 2018, may it have been with goals achieved. Whether your first ever or multiple entry, I sincerely hope you enjoyed the experience.

Kat xo

 

On and On….

Posted on by kathousekelli70

On we travelled through the 'Land of Enchantment' with its ever changing vast open plains…..

 

to rocky outcrops….

 

taking on sculptural like features on an otherwise desolate landscape.

 

We have now arrived in Cortez for Revenge of Montezuma! A quick trip to the range, a change of hotels, a trip to Walmart and we are settled for the night.

Side matches start tomorrow!

 

Travel safe if you are on the road for EOT! If you're starting Wild Bunch World Champs, go get 'em!

Kat xo